Blame it on the Energon
by hilmintonhamhigh
Summary: Pre-G1. A shuttle and a Seeker walk into a bar ...  Slash themes


**AN:** More Seeker fun and slash. Sorry that Fall Out Bot is still incomplete. My computer crashed the week after I posted that and this is my first fanfic since then. I hope to get a second wind on FOB.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own robots in disguise or Autotune.

* * *

><p>Blame it on the fuel, got you actin' like a fool<p>

Blame on the cube, now you're feeling like a boob

Blame it on the E-e-e-e-e-energon, blame it on the E-e-e-e-e-energon

Blame on the high-grade, givin' you a bot-graine

Any more to drink and you're gonna lose your bot-brain

Blame it on the E-e-e-e-e-energon, blame it on the e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-

* * *

><p>Skyfire wasn't supposed to know about the grimy little fliers-only bar on the edge of Iacon, but he wasn't the lame-bot that some of his colleagues thought he was.<p>

After the day he'd had, he knew he needed to go somewhere and get lost in the bottom of an energon cube for a few joors.

He strode into the hole-in-the-wall bar in a horrible mood, and he almost smiled when mechs a quarter of his size scrambled out of his way as he strolled up to the bar. The bar-mech gave him a once-over and jerked his helm to the side.

"Can't support your mass at this end. Heavy cruisers have to sit down the other side."

Skyfire snarled. He wanted to rip the mech's vocalizer out through his afterburners, but he refrained and decided to see if he could get overcharged first. If he still felt annoyed at the mech after a few cubes of high-grade, then he'd revisit that option.

He ignored the gawking of other patrons and parked his aft down the bar where he noticed the seats _were _heavily reinforced. After a nano-klik, the bar-mech came down his way and just plunked a cube of glowing, top-shelf high-grade in front of him. Just like that, Skyfire decided that he wasn't going to offline the mech that night.

"Would you like to open a tab, sir?"

"Absolutely," mumbled the shuttle, taking a long swig of the substance. Primus, it was good! And strong! He took another longer sip and felt his processor scramble briefly.

The bar-mech nodded and tapped something on an order pad. "Just press the service button for a top-off, sir. Also understand that we have to take your transformation chips if you have more than three cubes. It's potent and we can't have overcharged mechs flying around under the influence."

Skyfire shrugged and the bar-mech shrugged back before attending to other customers. The truth was, Skyfire couldn't imagine drinking more than a cube of the high-grade. He wasn't _that _pissed off.

Okay, so maybe he was. He took another hearty swill and looked around. It was a decent crowd, all fliers, and none as big as he was. There were hovershuttles, patrolmechs, and a few aerodrones here and there. Some were socializing, but most were nursing their cubes and looking furtively around for … company.

The shuttle flushed when a hovershuttle met his optics and smiled, clearly issuing an invitation to join him. Skyfire grimaced at him, but felt bad when the mech's expression wilted and he turned away looking embarrassed.

Skyfire knew he was starting to be a jerk but he couldn't help it.

All that research! Down the drain! And to top it off, no one gave a slag!

He took another big gulp of the potent brew. He was amazed that he'd almost drunk half the cube so fast, but it was so smooth it just flowed down his throat.

He'd been working on a device that would turn organic matter to highly ingestible energon for everyday consumption. Every mech and its creator knew that energon was becoming scarcer and scarcer each stellar cycle, and soon there would be no more of it naturally occurring on Cybertron. All the near planets in their solar system were organic and appeared to be uninhabited. Skyfire believed that it would be simple to get the raw materials from nearby organic planets to be used in his machine, and the energon crisis would be avoided.

But the stupid dean of the Science Academy claimed the plan was too impractical. _Impractical_! Skyfire's circuits threatened to overheat when he recalled how the rusty old mech had berated him in front of his colleagues and advised him to "put his processor to better use and stop all of the Primus-forsaken daydreams"!

The shuttle had been humiliated before the entire faculty and it was only through sheer will that he didn't pound the dean into space dust. He simply collected his notes and stayed in his office until it was time to leave. He thought a long flight around the neighboring planets would cool his jets, but he arrived back on Cybertron as angry as ever, and so then decided that the best course of action was to go to a bar and get overcharged off his aft.

Skyfire looked around again. The hovercraft that had been making optics at him was currently engaged in a lively conversation with an aerial drone. The drone was stroking the hovercraft's shoulder plates and it was clear that they were soon going to leave for a more private setting.

Skyfire turned away and contemplated his cube. If he were being honest, that was another problem. He had never had a bond mate, and it had been more time than he cared to think about since he last interfaced with a mech. Generally it didn't bother him because he had his work to keep him busy, but the dean's rejection of his plan made him wish he did have a bond mate in his life. He relished the idea of having someone to tell his troubles to and share his triumphs with, and of course to have hot, hard, interfacing with. But he knew that most mechs he knew thought he was boring, and others didn't understand him. It was frustrating and lonely.

He drained the cube, hesitated for a moment, and then pressed the call button. One more cube, and he'd leave. He had to go to work in the morning anyway, and he didn't want to have to take a transport back to his province, which is what he would need to do if his transforming chip was yanked.

The bar-mech was there in an instant with his refill. Skyfire nodded his thanks and winced. Nodding made his optics offline for a brief astrosecond. He decided to take his time with this new cube. If you weren't careful, high-grade could really sneak up on you and pack a real punch.

He glanced back over at the hovershuttle's table, which was now empty. Skyfire contemplated that for a second and he noticed a glider giving him the once-over. He maintained optic-contact for a few nano-kliks before turning back to his beverage. He'd never had a one-night 'face before, but the idea was starting to appeal to him. He was an adult mech, starting to feel a little overcharged, and the thought of a good 'face made him squirm a little on his seat. It wasn't as good as having a bond mate, but who knew what could happen? The worst thing that could occur was that he'd never see the mech again after they 'faced, and maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing, considering.

Taking a fortifying gulp of his second cube, Skyfire gasped as the energy went straight to his CPU and made him feel a little dizzy. He steadied himself and looked again at the glider who had not turned away and was now smiling encouragingly. Skyfire smiled back, though it took him a moment to remember how to move his lips.

Beads of coolant popped up along his brow when he saw the mech start to walk in his direction, never taking his optics off him. Skyfire tried to look nonchalant, as if this happened every day and as if he were not about to fall on his aft. He finished off his cube and put his hand out to steady himself when things started to look a little wobbly.

_Primus, this is really happening! And he's pretty good looking, too. I wonder –_

Skyfire registered movement by the door, right behind the glider's present position, and his optics went huge when he saw the mech who walked through it.

_N-no! What is HE doing here? NO -!_

He began to turn away, but stumbled a little, which caught the attention of the mech at the door. Their optics met and Skyfire read the surprise in the newcomer's expression. He forced a smile to his face and then regretfully turned his back on the glider. The glider stopped dead in his tracks, glared at Skyfire and muttered "Afthole" in his direction before stalking to another corner of the bar.

_Maybe he's here to meet someone else. Maybe he's just passing through for a quick drink. Maybe –_

"Professor Skyfire?"

_Maybe I'm in big trouble …_

Skyfire took a breath through his vents and turned to face the mech that had taken up residence at his side.

"Yes … ah … Starscream, isn't it?" Skyfire tried to sound professorial, but figured he was failing miserably.

"Yes, sir." The mech sounded pleased to be remembered. "I thought that was you. Not very many shuttles come here."

"So I gathered." Skyfire eyed the mech. "I wasn't aware you were old enough to imbibe, Starscream."

Starscream flushed. "I'm of age, Professor. I know I might look like a mechling, but I'm not."

"Of course not. Er..." Skyfire cleared his vocalizer, and tried to think of something to say, but the best he could come up with was: "Would you care to join me for a drink?"

The mech's optics lit up and Skyfire knew he was screwed.

He pressed the call button and the bar-mech was there instantly with two cubes of high-grade. He eyed Starscream appreciatively and Skyfire glowered at him until he took the hint and went away.

"Thank you, Professor Skyfire. This is really nice of you."

"It's no problem," said Skyfire with a small smile. "And since you_ are_ of age, and we're not at the Academy right now, how about you just call me Skyfire?"

"Oh … er, sure … Skyfire." Starscream looked slightly taken aback as he held up his cube. "Well, cheers!"

"Cheers," echoed Skyfire as they clinked their cubes together.

Starscream sipped slowly and Skyfire did likewise, keeping watch on the younger mech out of the corner of his optics and trying not to groan.

Out of all the mechs that had to come to that stupid place that night, it _had _to be this one?

Skyfire was very familiar with Starscream. He was a young Seeker, and Seekers were very rare at the Science Academy. They enrolled by the hundreds in the War Academy because of their speed and agility, but only a few had the processors to undertake scientific careers.

Starscream was such a mech. He had been a student in Skyfire's astrophysics and cosmic science classes and had gotten top marks. He was in his final year at the Academy and Skyfire knew that he worked as something of an intern for the dean. He'd already put together several papers on the conservation of energon that Skyfire had found very intriguing and well-researched. Many in the Academy were sure the Seeker would go far in his scientific endeavors.

And beyond that, Starscream was quite popular at the Academy because he was extraordinarily beautiful. Most Seekers were, but Starscream put most of them to shame. Many Seekers had a single color scheme, or perhaps a dual scheme, but Starscream was tri-colored, and it suited him. He was a little smaller than Seekers tended to be, but he was amazingly well built with perhaps the most gorgeous wings Skyfire had ever seen. He put those wings to good use, too. He was astonishingly fast, perhaps the fastest Seeker that Skyfire had ever personally known. He participated with the Academy's stunt flying team and made the rest of them look like rusted-out glitches.

Skyfire blushed, not liking the turn his thoughts were taking toward his former student.

_It's the energon ... must be. I'd better slow down._

"Primus, that's good," said Starscream, putting his cube down. "They don't serve anything like this at the parties on campus."

"I'll bet," said Skyfire. "I'm a little surprised to see _you _here, Starscream."

"I come here all the time," he said with a shrug. "It's a little slow tonight, though. Have you been here long?"

"Uh, no. Not really." Skyfire gulped. "I was just about to ... leave, when you came in." The shuttle thought it just as well not to mention that he hadn't planned to leave alone.

"Oh, sorry. I hope I didn't keep you from something ... _important_."

Skyfire looked at him sharply. The words were innocent enough, but the Seeker's optics were glowing, and for a terrifying moment, Skyfire thought the youngling had realized that he'd been about to pick up a mech for a quick 'face.

"Not at all. In fact, the dean made clear that not much I do in the Academy is very_ important_, so ..."

Skyfire trailed off, feeling stupid that he was running down his boss in front of a student - and in front of the dean's pet, at that!

"I mean ..."

"I think he's wrong," cut in Starscream.

Skyfire blinked. "Excuse me?"

"The dean. I think he's wrong about your research having no validity," said the Seeker. "The projections of the energon shortage are getting more serious each stellar cycle. We have to do _something_. I think your machine and the idea to use organic matter are genius."

"You ... you know about that?"

Starscream nodded. "The dean showed me your proposal. He wanted to know what I thought. When I heard he turned down your funding request to explore some of the nearer organic planets, I was really surprised. It's the best idea that's come through the Academy in a long time."

Skyfire was quiet. On one hand, he was a little miffed that the dean had asked the opinion of a _student_ on his carefully constructed plan. On the other hand, it was a little gratifying that a mech with Starscream's abilities found merit in his idea.

"... Thank you. I'm glad _someone _other than me likes the idea." Skyfire drank some more of his cube. "I understand that the atmospheric patterns on organic planets could be detrimental to a mech, but there would be ways to combat that. I just wish I could be given a chance to prove my machine works. Without the funding, I can't hope to find the proper place to gather fuel."

"Maybe I could help," said Starscream. "I have been doing a little research of my own for my advanced galactic physics course. There's a solar system nearby that appears to have a planet that has very recently evolved to support organic life."

"Really?" Skyfire was intrigued. "This is certain?"

"Well, I'd have to actually go there to be certain," said Starscream with a shrug, "But the preliminary data seems to support the theory. You wouldn't need funding from the Academy. If you can afford these cubes of high-grade, you'd be able to fuel yourself adequately for the journey and the return."

"How did you come across this planet? I didn't think the telescopes in the Library were powerful enough to see beyond this solar system."

"Oh." Starscream squirmed. "Well, I ... looked through the telescope in the dean's study."

Skyfire almost fell off his stool. The dean had the most powerful telescope in Cybertron locked away in his study. Not even the most senior faculty members were allowed to use it unless granted express permission. Star pupil or no, Skyfire was sure that he would not have granted Starscream permission to so much as breathe on his most prized possession.

"The dean doesn't know this, does he?" Skyfire shook his helm at Starscream's 'guilty' expression. "Starscream, you could get expelled if he finds out."

Starscream looked him right in the optics, a small smirk on his face. "Are _you _going to tell him ... _sir_?"

The tone was challenging, though Skyfire thought it was evident that the prospect of expulsion terrified the young flier. He thought about it for a minute and then grinned.

"Not if you don't tell him you stumbled across his senior lecturer in a seedy bar on the aft-end of Iacon."

A wide smile broke over Starscream's face and Skyfire had to look away. _Primus, he's pretty ..._

"Deal!" Starscream said eagerly. "I really admire your work, Prof-, uh, Skyfire. I'd be happy to help you in _any_ way possible."

Skyfire looked at him skeptically. The Seeker was leaning toward him and his optics were lowered almost flirtatiously. Their wings were almost touching ...

_No! NO. Get a hold of yourself Skyfire. He's a student ... a STUDENT. You don't 'face students -_

"I, um, appreciate that, Starscream." Skyfire shifted nervously when Starscream leaned closer. He knew he needed to get out of there now, go home, self-service, and fall into a deep recharge.

"Listen, I'd better go. I suppose I'll see you around campus."

"But, Skyfire -"

"Catchyoulaterbye!" Skyfire stood up quickly and scanned for the exit He took one step, and then another, before the ground seemed to melt away beneath him and he fell flat on his faceplates.

* * *

><p>"Primus, Screamer! He smells like he took a shower in high-grade. How much did he have to drink?"<p>

"Almost three cubes. The bar-mech said he was about to pull his transformation chip." Starscream sounded impatient. "Now come _on_! How often do I ask you two for favors?"

"All the time. I gotta learn to turn off the Trine Bond when you go out at night," groused Thundercracker. "This fragger's _heavy_. The three of us'll barely be able to carry him."

"Well, it's a good thing our apartment is right above the bar, isn't it?" snapped Starscream. "Now, on the count of three: One ... two ... THREE!"

The three Seekers strained and struggled, but between the three of them, they were able to haul the offline shuttle to his feet and support his weight.

"Okay, so we got him off the fragging floor," panted Skywarp. "Now what?"

"Now we take him upstairs so he can recharge in peace," said Starscream. "Are you two ready?"

"Wait! Excuse me, sir?"

Grunting, Starscream turned and saw the bar-mech looking concerned.

"What is it?"

"The gentlemech didn't close his tab. I'm assuming I can just do that now?"

"Obviously! He's out cold. My roommates and I are taking him to our place. He can sleep it off there."

"Ah, very well then." The bar-mech looked relieved. "Thank you, sir."

"He's not gonna be able to fit on the couch, Screamer," said Skywarp, as they slowly moved out of the bar in mech mode and engaged their thrusters. "What, are you gonna park his aft on the floor?"

"Who said anything about the couch? He'll sleep in my bed. There's plenty of room there."

Thundercracker frowned thoughtfully. "Well, the couch isn't big enough for _you, _either."

"I know that! I don't know why you'd think _I _was planning on spending the night there."

"Well, if you're gonna let him sleep in your bed and you're not going to go to the couch, then where _are _you gonna sleep?" asked Skywarp.

Starscream's optics glittered and his mouth curved into a sensuous smile. "Guess."

Thundercracker and Skywarp looked at each other, then at the sleeping Skyfire, then at Starscream.

"Aw, _come on_ Starscream, he's offline! You're not seriously going to ..."

"Of course not! Well, not while he's offline. But when he gets out of recharge, well ... maybe ..."

"You're crazy, Screamer."

"You're depraved."

"And _you _two are just upset that you've never thought of it," said Starscream shortly, running a gentle hand over Skyfire's chassis.

In truth, he wasn't altogether certain that he'd do more than recharge next to the handsome shuttle that had been the subject of his fantasies since he'd entered the Science Academy, but a Seeker could dream.

For his part, Skyfire was dimly aware that he was being conveyed through the air by a trio of Seekers and that he was going to at least spend part of the night in the bed of one of the loveliest flying mechanism's he'd ever seen. He knew it would be wrong to try anything, though Starscream seemed willing enough, but if he were able to shake off his massive overcharge, and if something _were _to happen, well ... such occurrences weren't unheard of when copious amounts of high-grade were involved.

Skyfire just hoped that if anything _did _happen, he'd be able to remember it in the morning.

**end**


End file.
